AVENGE

CHAPTER THIRTY-NINE - ROSE FREER

39.

ROSE FREER

The party was in full swing. Elsie and Tom were handling most of the work in keeping all of Rose's guests fed, watered and entertained. Rose was left to enjoy having guests around.

The reception was being held throughout the lounge and dining room. There was a spill over into the kitchen as well. Not everyone had come but Rose had suspected that would be inevitable. So far, six of the jurors had arrived. She had been hoping that Mr Morton would make it but he hadn't arrived yet.

"Has he turned up yet, Tom?" asked Rose for the tenth time.

"No, dear. He did say he might not be able to make it."

"I suppose he's busy."

"More than likely."

"Could you help me up, dear? I need the toilet."

"Of course." Tom helped Rose to her feet after manoeuvring her walking frame in front of her. "Do you need any help?"

"No thank you. I think I can still do my business without an audience." Rose shuffled her way to the downstairs WC.

Tom watched her go. She seemed to be moving a little easier since he'd started wrapping warm towels around her knees, ankles and thighs as well as her hands. He had decided to improvise on Henry Morton's instructions and it seemed to have worked.

"How is that possible?" asked Elsie.

"Henry Morton showed me how to ease a little of Rose's pain with hypnotism. I've just gone further than he did."

"It works then." Elsie nodded in Rose's direction. "Look at her go. I've not seen her move that well for at least two years."

"It's a shame he hasn't turned up. Rose was looking forward to it."

"Mr Morton was coming here?"

"Ooops. Err... Rosie didn't want anyone to know in case he didn't show. Guess she was right."

Rose had closed the door behind her and lowered herself onto the toilet with the aid of the rail supports at the side of the toilet.

"Oh," said Rose as her phone started ringing in her pocket. She answered the phone as her waterworks started. "Hello."

'Hello, Rose. How are you?'

"Is that you, Mr Morton?"

'You recognised my voice?'

"Yes, dear. Are you outside?"

'Unfortunately not, Rose. I couldn't make it. Has the party started yet? I can't hear anyone.'

"Oh yes." Rose lowered her voice into a conspiratorial whisper. "I'm on the lav."

Henry started laughing. 'Am I lucky that phones don't send smells, Rose?'

Rose laughed herself. "I'm only tinkling."

'That's all right then.' The tone of Henry's voice changed. 'Eclipse.'

Rose's chin dropped to her chest and the phone dropped to the floor.

'Can you still hear me, Rose?'

"Yes," murmured Rose.

'When I say the word "Everest" you will wake up and carry out my instructions. Is that clear?'

"Yes."

'You will finish in the toilet then go to the kitchen. You will then pour the contents of the bottle I gave you into all the drinks you are serving your guests. Don't let anyone see you do it. Is that clear, Rose?'

"Yes."

'Once all your guests are sleeping you are to go to your cooker and turn on the gas. Is that clear?'

"Yes."

'You will then go back to the lounge and sit in your window chair. Keep looking out the window. Is that clear?'

"Yes."

'Everest.' The call ended.

Rose lifted her head and opened her eyes. She finished her business and redressed then left the WC and shuffled to the kitchen, leaving the WC door open.

Tom saw her and left the lounge to close the door. He spotted her phone on the floor and picked it up. He followed her into the kitchen and called out. "You dropped your phone, Rose." He held it out to her.

"Oh – thank you, dear," she said. "Could you assemble everyone into the lounge. I have an announcement to make."

"Of course. Do you need any help in here first?"

"No. I'll be fine. My hands are working a lot better now."

Tom smiled and left the kitchen, escorting two of the guests with him to the lounge. There were two talking in the hallway. "Could you two please follow me into the lounge. Rose has an announcement to make."

Once they were all assembled, Tom opened the kitchen door and peered inside. "Everyone's ready, Rose."

Rose dropped the empty bottle back into her pocket and smiled at Tom. "Could you bring this tray in, Tom?"

Tom entered and picked up the tray. "What's all this for?"

"You'll see."

They both walked back into the lounge-diner and Rose started her announcement.

"Hello everyone. I wanted to thank you all for coming. Some of us couldn't be here and my guest of honour, Henry Morton, is one of them. He wanted to thank you all but unfortunately he's busy. I would like you all to raise a glass in memory of the tragedy that has befallen his family. Has everyone got a drink? Yes. There's more here."

Rose waited while several of her guests had their glasses refilled.

"To Henry Morton." Rose raised her glass then drank some. Her glass hadn't been refilled from the drugged drinks. She noticed which ones hadn't refilled and managed to pour some more in after the toast.

Rose settled in her chair and watched as the guests started to get wobbly on their feet. Three of them were already asleep on the sofa.

"I don't feel well," said one of the jurors.

Tom guided him to a spare seat and sat him down. "Here. I'll get you some water. Hold on."

He walked to the kitchen and the room started spinning as he reached the doorway. What's happening, he thought. He took a couple more steps then fell forwards onto the floor.

Rose watched as everyone around her collapsed. Several of her glasses shattered as they were dropped by her guests. Rose got up and shuffled into the kitchen. She managed to get around Tom who was unconscious on the floor. She reached the cooker and turned on all four rings without lighting them then took up her position in the front window.

Tom was the first victim to start convulsing with gas inhalation and by the time it had started affecting the ones in the lounge he had a pool of sick frothing from his mouth.

Rose succumbed to the gas herself and her head lolled to one side. Soon after she also started to shake.

A few minutes later a lighted bottle was thrown through the kitchen window. The gas lit up as the naked flame greedily accelerated around the entire ground floor before making its way upstairs. The entire house was aflame within minutes and a blue Volvo V70 slowly pulled away from the burning tomb of seven of the jurors.